The basic job description is a written statement of the overall tasks, duties, and responsibilities of a job and is the foundation of nearly every HR function, as stated in Job Worth Doing: Update Descriptions and the lecture notes. A well-designed job description is the linchpin for recruitment, training, performance evaluations & goals, compensation, and workforce planning.
That being said, without succinct and current job descriptions, “you aren’t operating your business as efficiently as possible.” Because of this, it is important for HR management to keep job descriptions up-to-date using job analyses to determine the tasks, duties, and responsibilities associated with the job; an essential HR function.
Keeping job descriptions current isn’t just about redefining a role. It’s also about understanding how and why job functions are changing, and anticipating any possible job description updates to reflect those changes.
Jill Bidwell, Sauer-Danfoss
Job Worth Doing: Update Descriptions
Overcoming the Challenges
Keeping job descriptions up-to-date
Although most HR managers would agree that keeping job descriptions current is important to an organization, it seems that very few managers have a regular policy for updating them, according to Job Worth Doing. In fact, updating job descriptions end up being the “last thing on the list to tackle.”
To combat this challenge, it is recommended to make amendments to job descriptions regularly, but at least once a year. “If you pull out a job description every time you work on performance reviews, compensation planning, succession planning, training and development needs, you are a lot more likely to maintain it.”
Team involvement
Creating and maintaining job descriptions can be complicated as there are many moving parts in most jobs with various points of communication. In order to make sure job descriptions are accurate, involving employees, managers, and HR may give the best scope of the job and tasks performed.
Employees have the best idea of the inner workings of the job and can attest to the duties that they perform daily. Managers can verify that the responsibilities reported by the employee are aligned with the job title. They can also use a template to keep job descriptions up-to-date as part of the performance management process. HR should review these templates and job descriptions, coaching and facilitating management, to ensure that they fit into the larger organization as well as their legal obligations.
Having a bad job description is worse than having none at all.
Tracy McCarthy, SilkRoad – Job Worth Doing: Update Descriptions
Mitigating risks
Without appropriate job descriptions, companies may find themselves at the wrong end of an employment claim or other legal matter. More than ever, it is critical for job descriptions to be “crystal clear” in terms of essential tasks, especially ones that are considered a performance measure. With clear and accurate job descriptions, employees know what is being asked of them and it keeps any potential legal implications for the company at bay.
At the end of the day, job descriptions aren’t meant to sit on a shelf, they should evolve alongside the work itself. When employers keep them clear, current, and utilize real input, everything from hiring to performance runs more smoothly and with fewer risks. Ultimately, getting the right people in the door starts with clearly defining what the job actually is.
SOURCES
-Tyler, K. (2013). Job Worth Doing: Update Descriptions.
-Lecture Materials, Week 4, Spring, 2025